If you are consuming artificial sweetener, or thinking to change from sugar to artificial sweetener, let me warn you: you’re escaping from tiger’s mouth to crocodile’s mouth.

Artificial sweeteners, even how tempting the slender model looks on the package, are doubtfully benefiting your health. There so much controversy around artificial sweeteners, and while numerous studies were conducted, they are still at large, being consumed by millions of uninformed diabetic patients or weight watchers all around the world.

The general conclusion is that the benefit-to-risk ratio of artificial sweeteners is pretty much unclear. And too add confusion, major health governing bodies allow its usage. How can something be unsafe when FDA has approved it? Well’ that’s the mystery.

A great deception

I am very much against the use of dangerous chemicals over the health of general public. Let’s look at a scenario. An elderly gets diabetes and turn to artificial sweeteners, influenced by the low calorie claims and sometimes even doctor’s prescription. But little that the old man knows that the artificial sugar does more harm than good. Other health issues starts to appear and this is where the sick gets sicker, and the sicker gets to die early. All in the name of a great deception!

Look behind your sweetener’s innocent case. Or maybe chewing gums. There are thousands of products using these sweeteners. Look out for these names and beware!

SUCRALOSE

NEOTAME

CYCLAMATE

SACCHARIN

ASPARTAME

ASPARTAME especially enjoys widespread usage. It is very dangerous for diabetics. It drives the blood sugar out of control, so diabetics may suffer acute memory loss due to the fact that aspartic acid and phenylalanine are neurotoxic. Thus it passes the blood brain barrier and deteriorates the neurons of the brain, causing in various kinds of brain damage, seizures, depression, manic depression, panic attacks, rage, violence.

Of late, Malaysians are bombarded with 'all-in-one' coffee drinks everywhere they go. You see them in TV, radio, 'mamak stalls', restaurants, and in the mainstream papers. Featuring healthy natural addition like goji, guarana, ginseng, tongkat ali, and almost everything else, it seems like this industry of instant health-oriented coffee is really gaining buyers attention.

In the sachet

The 'all-in-one' coffee makers take pride of their coffee mixture. Most of them claim health benefits relating to the usage of their product. While some of the claims might be true, what you rarely notice is the sugar content in each sachet. It surprises me, and it will surprise you!

A common sachet is weighed 20g. The content of the sachet is poured in a mug, pour hot water, and there you go! Instant, delicious, healthy coffee. Upon sipping the aromatic blend, you investigate the sachet, curious of what makes it smell and taste good. And it's a lot cheaper than Starbucks!

If your sachet is made by a reputable company then behind the sachet you may find the ingredients, nutrition information and another alarming fact: sugar composition! Total sugar in the 20g sachet : 12g! That 60% of the composition!

Are we buying sugar or coffee?

So, what are buying: coffee, or sugar? If the sachet has 60% (12g) sugar, then its an expensive way of buying sugar!

However, there is a remaining 40% content. We may think its coffee and the other goodies, but is that really the case? There are a lot of ingredients involved, but most of them do not get printed on the sachet.

Here's another industry secret: the second major ingredient in every sachet is creamer! And how much creamer in the 40% remainder? Let's wait for my next post where I will reveal yet another alarming fact about these all-in-one products. And I haven't started to talk about caffeine yet!

Little that the public know about natural sweeteners. What they know is, when its sweet, its sugar. General public does not know or even care about sugar alternatives, unless when they are diabetic, they will start asking pharmacies about artificial sweeteners.

While artificial sweeteners may answer some concerns about blood-sugar-levels, they pose another different side effects. And this is where natural sweeteners come into the equation.

Stevia Story

Stevia, or Stevia Rebaudiana plant, is a member of the Chrysanthemum family, same like Chamomile. Natively found in Paraguay, it has been used for centuries as a natural sweeteners. The Indians of Paraguay (the Guarani tribe) used to call Stevia as "Caa-ehe" that means sweet herb.

From there it started; modern scientists began to study this herb and in 1930's, the first documentation of Stevia compounds were published. From that point onwards, Stevia gained worldwide popularity, where it is grown and used in more than 30 countries.

Calorie, what calorie?

Stevia, in its pure form, has virtually zero calorie, zero carbohydrate, and zero fat. It also has no effect on blood sugar levels, however sweet it is. This creates attention from health concious consumers, in particular those who are suffering from diabetes and blood sugar disorders.

This makes the stevia a miraculous plant. Sweet, but not damaging. Better, it gives other benefits for example Stevia has been proven to reduce the formation of Streptococcus bacteria that also causes gum disease and cavities. Isn't that simply miraculous and wonderful?